Vanessa Yang was named UC San Diego's head athletic trainer in July of 2013.

Yang leads UCSD's Athletic Training Department with the mission to provide the prevention, management and rehabilitation of athletic injuries for over 600 student-athletes from 23 intercollegiate teams.

Yang began her tenure with UCSD Athletics in 2007 as an assistant athletic trainer. Prior to joining the Triton family, she served two years as the head athletic trainer for the Sports Clubs program at UC San Diego.

Yang has also spent time at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix and at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. While at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, she worked with athletes in several sports, including wrestling, gymnastics, weightlifting and speed skating.

Yang is an approved Graston Technique Provider, a certified Corrective Exercise Specialist and an American Heart Association Basic Life Support instructor. In addition, she is a preceptor for the San Diego State University Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP).

Yang also serves on several committees, including the Far West Athletic Trainers Association College/University Athletic Trainers Committee and the National Athletic Trainers Association Executive Committee for Education Professional Education Degree Work Group.

Yang received a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Pennsylvania State University before earning a master's in sports health care at A.T. Still University.

The UCSD Intercollegiate Athletic Training Department is comprised of three full-time athletic trainers, four graduate assistant athletic trainers and approximately 15 athletic training students. UC San Diego is a clinical site for SDSU's ATEP as well as home to UCSD's athletic training internship program.